Modern automotive vehicles typically have impact absorbing devices located in their rear areas to absorb impact forces and also channel impact forces into the vehicle frame during a vehicular rear impact event. In addition to the impact absorbing devices, vehicles may be equipped with rear suspension devices that usually do not function in conjunction with the rear impact absorbing devices during a rear impact event. While current impact absorbing devices have proven satisfactory for their applications, each is associated with its share of limitations. One limitation with rear impact absorbing devices is that they are designed to absorb all or most of the impact forces experienced by the rear of the vehicle during a rear impact. Another limitation is that current rear impact absorbing devices do not channel impact forces to other rear areas of the vehicle structures to utilize the impact absorbing capabilities of other rear area structures during a vehicular rear impact.
What is needed then is a device that does not suffer from the above limitations. This, in turn, will provide a vehicular device that, during a rear impact event, works in conjunction with the rear impact absorbing devices and channels the force of impact through additional areas of the vehicular frame.